THE MOPLAHS.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 14769, 23 September 1921, Page 2

THE MOPLAHS.

A FEROCIOUS TRIBE. In India, as Kipling said, is the unknown, and from the heights of the restive frontier and the garrisons of Muree to the Western Ghats and the rain-swept slopes from Khandesh to Malabar there is mystery, and the fascination of brooding millions, with their castes, fanaticism, and quaint

charm. And India, ever restive, keeping the small European population watching, with its Ghandis and hill tribes, occasionally sends out its clash of arms to distant Europe, and casualties occur, and peace once more reigns on the surface. The world-old intrigue of the East, however, goes on its subterranean way against the time for the next bIOW. ' nil Now comes the sound of a clasn from historic Malabar—Malabar, whose pepper trade dates far beyond the age of Sinbad the Sailor, and probably stretches on to Roman times. Malabar,' whose narrow line of lowland, intervening between the barrier range and the seaboard, is home to the peculiar Moplahs. A FEROCIOUS* RACE. They number 613,000, and with the Labbays' (312,000) follow a seafaring life. The Moplahs are descended from Arab traders, who came to o]d Malabar when the world was young, and remained to fight and conquer, and suffer conquest in turn.' The Moplahs are a ferocious crew. Peaceful enough towards the whites; they hate the Hindus, and at periods swoop down on them and slaughter ,at will, until the military intervene to stop them. From Malabar an>d its people comes Mr M. M. McKay, a tea-planter, to Sydney. He is only,on holiday, but his years on Indian plantations, and particularly on Malabar, have given him a knowledge of the natives, and particularly the Moplahs, that fits him to speak with a degree of authority on the cause of the present disturbance.

N A CONVERSION WITH A ; KNIFE. ; "The Moplahs are ordinarily quiet," he said; "but when they get the spirit of conversion working they go out and convert. And whoever will not be converted gets a knifethrust instead, and the conscientious objector is with his fathers before he can say a word in explanation. "It is thrilling enough for the Moplahs, who are fierce, ferocious, domineering, and fanatical; but the poor Hindu, who loves his faith with equal tenacity, has no redress. "The trouble really goes back to the Allies' peace with Turkey. The Mohammedans of India were wrathful at the terms imposed on their coreligionists in Turkey, and the political leaders of the irreeoncilables and Home Rulers in India fed the flames and passion and hatred until the time of passion' and hatred until the time "These politicians of force came to the West Coast of India early this year and began their 'little talks.' They hoped to bring about united action by both Hindus and Mohammedans. The Hindu is a Home Ruler, and so both had a grievance against the British Government. But the rebellion did not break out at the time anticipated, as the Government stepped in and arrested the leaders.

THEIR OLD ROLE. "Eventually, however, they adopted their old role, and began raiding the country, destroying everything that came their way. Railway lines were torn up, and railway stations were destroyed, and a regular hot time prevailed in the districts through which they journeyed. "Now the rebellion has taken a turn not anticipated by Ghandi and his friends. . The Moplahs have descended upon the Hindus, slaughtering them with characteristic ferocity, and disunity instead of unity reigns. But the British forces are now in turn the Moplahs, and it will not be long," thinks Mr M'Kay, "before jfche Moplahs are once more under control." He remarked that at one time they were in the British army in large numbers, and in that way secured the weapons they are now using with such effect.